A Merton councillor and former Greater London Authority (GLA) candidate has been expelled from the Conservative Party.

Councillor David Dean, who will continue to represent Dundonald ward in Wimbledon, was suspended from the Tory Party in May 2016 after allegedly making racist comments about the now Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

May 31: David Dean suspended from Conservative Party for allegedly saying Sadiq Khan will treat white people "like dirt"

The London Evening Standard reported in May that Cllr Dean was suspended after he was recorded on the campaign trail saying that, if Sadiq Khan became Mayor of London, “as a white man… you will be a pariah in your own town. He will treat you like dirt.”

Cllr Dean went on to lose the Merton and Wandsworth GLA seat to Labour’s Leonie Cooper by just one per cent of the vote.

However, a spokesman for the Conservative Party would not comment on whether this was the reason Cllr Dean has been expelled, and added that he has the right to appeal the decision.

Cllr Dean declined to comment, but a spokesman for the Conservative Party said: “He has been expelled from the party.”

Leader of Merton Conservative Group, Councillor Oonagh Moulton, said: “I can confirm that Cllr Dean is no longer a member of the Conservative Group nor currently a member of the Conservative Party.”

Cllr Dean is no longer listed as a Conservative on the Merton Council website. A spokeswoman for the council said Cllr Dean had also resigned from the local Conservative Group.  

She added: “He is still a councillor and will continue to work on behalf of his constituents, but is not aligned to any party group.”

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